Product Review: Conair Instant Heat 1-1/4 Inch Curling Iron & Tips on Curling Hair

Product Information for Model CD82PCS
-Conair Curling Iron 
-multi-layer technology for even heat distribution
-smart technology keeps barrel at a consistent heat
-unique button design prevents accidental shutoff
-turbo heat gives a burst of heat at the touch of a button
-dual voltage
-30 second heat-up
-25 heat settings
-on/off indicator light
-extra-long cool tip
-safety counter rest
-auto off

My Opinions

I really like this curling iron because of the cost and the quality. I bought this curling iron for $12.99 at Target, and I decided on a 1-1/4 inch curling iron because I have long, thick hair. This iron is perfect for loose bouncy, beachy waves. I wouldn’t recommend this iron to people who have thinner hair or who want small, tighter waves. The plastic packaging was difficult to get off (I had to get really big scissors).  I really liked that the curling iron had a safety counter rest, so that when the iron is heating up, I don’t damage any of my counters. The heat settings let you choose the right temperature for your type of hair, so you don’t have to add ore temperature than is needed. Since I have thick hair, I use the heat setting 20, but they have a very wide range of heat settings. The auto off is an also very important feature that I look for in hair appliances, because it ensures that your hair appliance won’t burn your house down if you forget to turn it off. Also, it’s great that this curling iron has dual voltage, because I sometimes travel out of the country (I am going to London over Winter break), and it’s a huge hassle to have to worry about bringing wall adapters for your electronics. The barrels are nice and smooth, and don’t snag on my hair.



Tips on How to Curl Your Hair

Step 1: Brush out all your hair, so that there are no knots or tangles. This is important so that your hair won’t snag or tangle while it is being curled. Turn on your curling iron and set it to the right temperature setting.


Step 2: Make sure to use heat protectant on your hair, to ensure that your hair isn’t damaged by all the heat you are about to apply to it. This is the TRESemme Heat Tamer ($3.99).
Step 3: Split your hair into 2 or 3 layers depending on the thickness of your hair (I usually do 3 layers). Gather your top layers, make a bun on the top of your head and tie it with an elastic or use a butterfly clip.
Step 4: Starting with the back of your head, take a 1 inch section of hair and clasp the end of your hair with the iron. Then turn the iron in the direction that you want your curls to go.  You can also turn your curling iron into a curling wand, simply by not using the clasp and wrapping your hair around it. When you finish curling a piece of hair, ball the hair up in your fist near your head, which will make your curls hold longer.
Step 5: Keep wrapping your hair around the iron and once your bottom layer is done, you can bring down another layer of your hair, so eventually you have curled all the layers. Once you get the front sections of your hair, I would recommend curling away from your face, which will frame. For the other sections I would alternate curling away and towards your face.

Step 6: If you want loose waves, then finger through your hair. If you would rather have tighter curls, then you can skip this step.

Step 7: Finish your look of by spritzing a little hairspray on your hair, and then you are good to go!

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 THIS BLOG claims no credit for any images posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images on this blog are copyright to its respectful owners. The 3 pictures under "my opinions" were taken by me.

Tips and Tricks to Get Up, Ready and Out the Door Fast for School

My high school starts at 7:10 A.M. and I have to leave for school by 6:35! I am always rushing so that I can make it to school on time. It's hard to wake up in the morning, and when you keep pressing the snooze button, you end up having 10 minutes of time to get ready! Here are my tips and tricks on how to get ready for school fast, so you can get the maximum amount of sleep possible! 


Tip #1: Plan your outfit the night before

The night before a school day, I always do a few little preparations for school the next morning, that way I can sleep in a bit more and won't have to worry about doing those things in the morning. I always pick out my outfit the night before, because if I don't, I end up rampaging my closet while trying on different outfits to wear for 20 minutes and then end up wearing the outfit I tried on originally. I always check the weather on my phone for the next day and plan my outfit accordingly. Then I lay all my clothes and accessories out next to my bed, so that when I wake up in the morning I know exactly what I'm wearing and can change in less than 1 minute.

Tip #2: Make your lunch the night before

The night before a school day, I also make my lunch for school the next day, because usually making my lunch takes about 5-8 minutes. Sometimes when I make my lunch in the mornings, I'm out of the foods that I usually put in it so I have to scrounge around the fridge looking for food. If I make my lunch the night before, I can get all that taken care of, and it won't take time out of my morning. Once I make my lunch, I put it in the fridge so that everything stays preserved. I would also always forget to bring water to school, so now I fill it up at night and place it in the fridge right next to my lunch. In the morning I can just grab my lunch and water and leave for school.

Tip #3: Set multiple alarms

Setting multiple alarms in 5 minute increments will wake you up slower so that you can ease in to waking up. I set my alarms to 5:40, 5:45, 5:50, 5:55 and 6:00 A.M. This insures that I won't sleep through any alarms and that I will actually wake up at my desired time, 6:00. Also, on an iPhone you can write a message to yourself when your alarm goes off. That way, you can encourage yourself to wake up, or write things like "wake up or else your makeup will look terrible".

Tip #4: Check your phone

Once I am on my 2nd or 3rd alarm, I will always pick up my phone from my bedside table and turn off all the alarms. The brightness of my phone screen in contrast to the darkness of my room makes my phone look extra bright. I check some of my texts, email or social media for 2-3 minutes and the brightness of the screen makes my eyes feel less sleepy and more awake. Beware not to spend too much time on your phone though, because you don't want to be wrapped up in your phone and waste all your time!

Tip #5: Splash your face with cold water

Every morning , after I get out of bed, I head over to my bathroom and and after washing my face, I splash it with cold water. This helps me be more awake, so that I will get ready faster and won't still be sleepy and slow while getting ready. 

Tip #6: Drink cold water after waking up

Drinking cold water after waking up will help you feel more energized and awake, and it also kick-starts your metabolism, along with breakfast.

Tip #7: Get in a routine

Get in an everyday makeup routine, where you know the products you are going to use and how to apply them correctly. Every time you do your makeup, you will get a little bit faster, because you will be so used to doing it. The same goes for your morning routine in general. If you always follow the same general morning routine, you will end up getting faster and faster at it, because you will be familiar with it. 

These are all my tips on getting ready fast for school! Please comment below and subscribe to my email list to get emailed when I make a new post :)

 THIS BLOG claims no credit for any images posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images on this blog are copyright to its respectful owners.

2015 Holiday Gift Guide For The Different Types Of People In Your Life

Classy/Sophisticated Gal-
Marbled patterns are extremely elegant and perfect for phone, tablet or laptop cases, as well as notebooks! A pretty notebook or bag with a simple quote or saying is also perfect to give someone as a gift. Also, nail polish and key chains are a small, cute gift that won’t break the bank. Nice accessories watches, necklaces and earrings are perfect for people who you want to splurge more on.

Athlete-
Cute athletic apparel from Lululemon or other nice athletic wear stores would be a great present for you friend who loves running, yoga, etc. Also a cute new yoga mat would be a nice gift. You can find less expensive ones at your local Marshalls or TJ Maxx. Printed ear buds, a pretty water bottle or headband would also be presents that you could find on the less expensive side. Nike Roshe’s are also very cute to exercise in and come in many different prints.

Boho Chic Friend-
Scent diffusers are a great gift to give someone who is stressed out or their room to be scented, because they’re inexpensive and look really nice. Also, beaded and gemstone accessories are very fashionable and boho. Dresses and shirts that are flowy are also a great gift for your boho chic friend, and you can find a lot of really nice stuff at Free People. Bags with leather and fringe are a bit more expensive, but you can find some for cheaper at local boutiques.  

Technology Lover-
Polaroids come in all different colors and are a cute way to take photos and actually have a hard-copy photo instantly! They are normally sold for around $100 but you can find come for around $60 on Amazon. Phone photo printers are also nice, because you can print out a picture from your phone and have a hard copy instantly on any kind of paper you want. This is great, because you can see what the photo looks like before you print it out. Also, accessories for different types of technology, such as a laptop and phone are relatively inexpensive gifts that you can find in all different types on patterns depending on who the gift is for. 

Makeup Fanatic-
A cute makeup bag with a clever saying on it would be a nice gift for anyone who loves makeup! You can find cheap ones almost anywhere. Also you can find nice makeup brush sets on Amazon for really cheap. If you want to splurge a little on your friend, you can buy a Sephora sampler set that includes a bunch of samples and sometimes full sizes. This way, your friend can try out a bunch of different products and see what works for them. Also a giftcard is a good gift to give someone if you have no idea what kind of makeup they like. The Naked palette is also a universal palette with eyeshadows that look good on anyone! There are also small little products at Sephora that are in holiday packaging. 

Traveler-
(From left to right): Travel makeup brush set ($86), Cosmetic traveling case ($450), Passport cover ($40), Suitcase ($138), Head pillow ($11), Travel cup ($18), Starbucks giftcard, Leather tote bag ($1,276), Magazine
A traveling makeup brush set is useful, so that they can store your brushes in one place that will fit in their suitcase easily. Also a nice, durable cosmetic traveling case would be perfect for fitting all their beauty essentials for their trip in. You could also give them a magazine subscription, so during their flight they can catch up on their reading. A more expensive gift would be a good suitcase or carry on tote. A Starbucks giftcard or a travel cup would be a nice gift, because they can pick up a coffee before getting on the plane. 

Generic Gifts-
For the people you aren't as close with or don't know as well but still feel obligated to give a gift to, you can never go wrong with a giftcard!


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Disclaimer: All collages that are shown were made by me on Polyvore. 

My First Blog Post

Intro to Thoughts by Thea

Hello all! My name is Thea C., and this is my first blog post on Thoughts by Thea! I am a high school student who loves fashion, makeup and beauty! I also like traveling, sports, and animals. I have wanted to start a blog for a while now about all things fashion and beauty! I will be writing about product reviews, makeup for kids in high school and everyone else, how to save money on clothes and makeup, drugstore makeup dupes for high end products, tips and tricks on the right beauty products and clothes for you, outfits for different occasions and much more! Definitely leave a comment if you have any questions! Thanks for reading and look forward to exciting blog posts!


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Disclaimer: This picture was taken by me

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